Taming Grocery Gimmes

To help cope with "I want´s" while grocery shopping, allow your child to choose one item from the treats section of your coupon organizer while still at home. He/she will love to search the aisles for their treat, and you can stick to a budget. You also have more control over their choices, and avoid the eye-catchers in the store.

Inexpensive Art Paper

For an inexpensive source of drawing paper, contact your local newspaper. Many newspapers make the end rolls of blank newsprint available for a few dollars, or even for free. These wide, blank newsprint rolls are perfect for arts and crafts and homemade wrapping paper. The large roll ensures that you will always have paper on hand.

Saving on Diapers

For most babies, the inexpensive store-brand diapers work fine during the day, saving the more expensive brand name diapers for use at night. This way, the package of more expensive diapers will last for a whole month.

No More Wasting Food

Whenever you have a small amount of leftover food after a meal, such as a cupful of peas, a small amount of rice, potatoes, meat, etc., place it in a plastic container and freeze it. Rather than throwing the food away, continue adding to the container whenever you have leftovers that are not large enough to keep for another meal. When your container is full, use the leftovers as a base for a savory homemade soup. This will give you an entire meal that you would have otherwise thrown out.

Lessons in Money Saving

To help teach your kids how to save their money and spend wisely, put them in charge of saving your coupons, then after shopping, give them the amount of money that was saved. This should encourage them to search wisely for coupons, and help the learn the value of finding a great deal.

Bargain Hunter

You can find some great bargains if you look. First look and see if you have any children´s (or any)consignment stores in your area. You can find some great buys and the items are usually in great condition. You can also make some money when your child outgrows something by bringing it to the store. When they sell it you get part of the money. Next, look into dollar stores. You can get bottles, socks, pacifiers, spoons,etc. for a dollar a piece. Also look through clearance racks and buy ahead. Old Navy and Baby Gap have great clearance prices(you can get separates for $3.99 or less most of the time) you just have look.

Good to the Last Drop

When you can no longer get anything out of a plastic squeeze tube, cut the tube open to get more. Cut off both ends, then cut up the middle. Place what´s left in a plastic container, and suddenly you no longer need to go shopping for more!

Price Book

Keep track of the prices of items that you regularly buy in a "price book". Write down the regular price and the best sale price that each supermarket tends to offer. Then if you see an item on sale, you can check your book to see if it really is a good buy. You will not be tricked into buying something that is not really a good deal, and you will know when is a good time to stock up and save.

Dress-Up for Less

All kids love to play dress-up, yet the cost of specialty dress up clothes can be very expensive. Instead of shopping at toy stores, try thrift shops, and you might be pleasantly surprised at the wonderful treasures you can find.

Freebies

Freebies are a favorite for everyone. You can find many freebies for the house, yourself and the children. You can find a ton of these sites on the web.

Character Sheets

To save money on kids sheet sets, buy plain sheets and purchase your kids´ favorite character pillowcase (Little Mermaid, 101 Dalmations, etc.). Plain sheets are much less expensive and you can easily change the look when your kids favorite changes.

7-1-1 Rule

To teach kids good money sense, use the 7-1-1 rule. Whenever your child wants to buy something with their money, have them wait 7 days, think of one alternative (for example, a less expensive brand), and ask one other person (a adult or someone who has made a similar purchase). It should stop a lot of impulse buying.

Eating Out On A Budget

When eating at a restaurant, it is usually much cheaper to have children split adult portions than to buy a kids meal. You may miss out on a "free" toy, but don´t be fooled, you were paying for it!

Homemade Bottled Water

Rather than buying expensive bottled water for the convenience, simply save resealable pop bottles and fill them with your own water. If you prefer filtered water, use the money you save to buy a home filter, and bring along home-filtered water.

Save on Toothpaste

If your kids squeeze too much toothpaste on to their toothbrush, leaving a mess in your bathroom and wasting toothpaste, try this fun way to limit the amount they can squeeze out. Attach a cake decorating tool onto the end of the tube. Pick one with a small hole, and the kids will love the design it makes when squirting, and they will not use as much toothpaste.

Baby Supplies

To save money on baby care items, you may substitute corn starch for baby powder. It is three times as absorbent and very pure. Also, mineral oil can be used in place of baby oil, since baby oil consists simply of mineral oil with added fragrance.

Save on Kids Gifts

When shopping for birthday party presents, buy multiples of a gift that is suitable for boys or girls (blocks, puppets, bath toys, books, etc.) of your child´s age. Buy them all at once and ask the manager for a discount. Wrap them at once and you will be ready for the parties. Make cards on the computer to save even more.

Spending Less

Shopping at a huge Super store that carries large bulk items may seem like a great deal, but people tend to spend much more than they had planned to when shopping in these stores. If you stick to the smaller stores, the prices are often as good or cheaper, and you aren´t as likely to buy things you don´t need, like clothing, yummy looking gourmet food or huge quantities of items that you end up throwing away.

A Cheaper Alternative to Dryer Sheets

Instead of spending money on dryer sheets, you can make your own. In a spray bottle mix one part fabric softener and one part water, then shake to mix. Spray a clean, old washcloth about five or six times and use in your dryer to prevent static cling. You may use the same cloth over and over again.